Paving tile



Aug. 2, 1932. E. H. BINNS 1,869,880

PAVING TILE Filed Sept. 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 EDWARD H. BINNS; F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA PAVING TILE The present invention relates to' improvements in composite tiles for paving purposes in which ashaped shell or container of metal,

s, glass or other suitable material has molded into it a concrete or other plastic material that will harden and intimately adhere to the shell or container to form a solid block.

The present invention comprises improve ments in the detail construction of such composite paving tiles, the main feature of which improvements consists in acomposite paving block having the hollow shell or container only partially filled with the hardened concrete orother plastic material to allow a" relatively small lower portion of the side walls to project beyond the bodyof the filling material to constitute an anchoring rim that will embed itself in thevballast when the I paving tile is laid and thereby efiectively prevent its lateral displacement.

Another feature of the present invention consists in so forming the hollow shell or container of metal or other suitable materialv( preferably of metal) by molding or otherwise to alford relatively thick walls for'the top or wear-sustaining portion and the immediately adjacent parts of the side walls which eonnectwith and support the top wall, said side walls beingslightly tapered from their thick top adjoining portions to their lower relatively thin edges which formthe ballast engaging displacement resisting rim. To further strengthen the hollow shell or container it is formed with internal strengthening Webs which are preferably cast integral with both the top and side walls, said webs or ribs being widest in their parts that span the internal angle between the top and side 40 surfacesof said walls. I have found it desirable to have some of the strengthening webs extend approximately theentire height ofthe sidewalls,,while others afford sufficient rigidityto the box-like shell or container by their termination short. of the ventire height of said walls. v

Another featureof the present invention comprises the formation in the top wear- 66 resisting surface ofthe improved paving tile walls and tapered toward their ends into the of a relatively small key-way extending Application filed September 18,1930. Serial No. 482,791.

through the top Wall and communicating with a key-chamber formed by a box-like projection on the inner surface of the top Wall, said key-way and key-chamber ,being entirely closed off from. the hollow interior of the shell or container intowhich the voementfor other plastic material is molded. The key-way preferably'pf narrow elongated shape is designed to receive a complementary key which can be passed through the key-way. and turned in the key-chamber so that the wings or projections of the key will engage the under surface of. the top wall in the keychamber and by the application of a suitable tool raise and lower the composite tile. This key-way and key-chamber'are placed approximately above the center of' gravity of'the composite tile, that is, approximatelyvat'a point within the intersecting vertical, ,tr'anse verse and longitudinal planes extending through the center of gravity of the tile. In practically utilizingthe improvedcom posite tile in paving a rolling mill floor it :has been found desirable to make the tiles large and heavy to reduce to a .minimumthe required "number'of tiles'and joints to pave a given surface and to better vwithstand the heavy wear that the pavement is subjected to. In practice I have made and used composite tiles embodying my invention that are u approximately 17 inches square by 5' inches deep which when partially filled with'hard ened concrete have weighed aproXimately15O pounds. The use of the'key in the key-way and chamber as above described facilitates handling these heavy-compositetiles both in v originally laying the pavement and subsequently inremoving individual tiles forre pair or other reasons.

In order that the invention may be fully understood :itwill first be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the novelty afterwards pointed out more par ticularlyin the annexed claims.

Insaid drawings 7 I r l w Figure 1 is a detail plan view .illustrating one form ofpavement made with the improved composite tiles r Figures 2 and 3 are similar detall views showing modified plans of pavement made with the improved composite tiles;

Figure a is an inverted plan view of a hol low shell oreontainer forming part of the improved composite tile ready to receive the partial filling of concrete;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the tile of Figure l showing the partial filling of concrete molded in place and the tile in normal service position with its open bottom presented downwardly;

Figure 6 is a detail view partially in sec tion showing the lifting key turned atright angles to its position shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is'a view similar to Figure 4'showingfa shell or container of triangular shape;

Figure 9is a view similar to Figure at showing a shell or container of oblong shape.

In making the improved composite tile I first mold or otherwiseshape a shell or container of the desired size and design. I prefer to form the hollow shell'or container of cast ironwhich, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, is in the form ofa'hollow square'open-bottomed box of which 1 is the wear-resisting top plate formed integral with the four downwardly projecting, side walls 2, which latter are preferably tapered in thickness from the top plate 1 to'the bot-. tom open .rim 3; The top plate land side walls 2 are rigidly braced'by meansof' the internal strengthening webs or ribs 1 which are. cast integral withsaid top and side walls and are shaped to taper toward their ends to merge into tl'ie:walls' with which they are attached. The central I strengthening webs or ribs 4- on each side wall are length ened slightly to extend to the extreme lower thin. edge or rim 3 of the side walls.

The top wear-resisting surface 1 of the shell or container has cast upon its inner surface a small box-like 4 keychamber 5, the walls of which are integral with the top plate 1 and are braced by the webs or ribs 6'radiating from the circular key chamber and cast integral with the under face of top plate 1 to further strengthen said top plate. Communicating with the key chamber 5 is an oblong key opening 7 extending through the top wall 1 and in communication with the key-chamber 5. This key opening 7 is made relatively small andnarrow so as not to interfere with the load supportingsurface of top plate 1.

In Figure 8 is shown a triangular shell or container 10 having thesame described characteristics as the square form shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. In Figure 9 is shown an oblong form of shell or container 11 which also has the same characteristicsabove described with reference to the square form. This several simple shapes of tiles are selected as desirable for the convenient laying of pavements of simple design as shown, for eX- ample, in Figures 1, 9. and 3 of the drawings hereinafter referred to.

The hollow shell of the desired shape has molded into it a sufficient quantity of con crete or other suitable hardening plastic such as indicated at 15, the same being carefully molded to completely embed the wall of keyehamber 5 and the strengthening webs or ribs 4 and 6. The molded material 15 only partially lls the interior cavity of the shell or container, leaving the lower thin portions of side walls of the container to project in the form of aneh oring rims which when the composite tile is laid will embed itself into the ballast and thereby prevent lateral displacement of the tile. In filling the shell or container with cement I have found it desirable to start with a surplus of water in the inverted shell or container, this excess of water causing a more intimate adhesion of the hardened concrete with inner surface of the cast iron shell or container.

8 in Figures 5, 6 and 7 is a tile lifting key comprising a bar formed at its lower end with oppositely projecting wings 9 of the proper size and shape to be inserted in the key opening 7 of the composite tile. Upon insering the key in opening 7 it is turned 90- upon its axis in key-chamber 5 to move the wings 9 out of alignment with the key opening into engagement with the overhanging wall 1 as shown in Figure 7. With the key thus engagedin the key-chamber the tile can readily be lifted by any simple mechanical means placed in engagement with the key. 4

' In Figure 1 is shown a pavement with the improved tile set in inclined rows and with he tiles of adjacent rows breaking joints.

the triangular tiles 10 are conveniently used along the walls or outer borders of the pavement while the oblong or half-size tiles 11 are used at intervals in starting the break joint arrangement of the rows of the main tiles 1.

' In Figure 2 a plan of pavement is shown in which the square tiles 1 are laid in rows parallel to the walls or other enclosing borders and in which the til-es break joint in adj acent rows. To efi'ect the break joint arrangement in this plan of pavement every other row is started with a half tile 11 of oblong shape.

In Figure 3 a plan of pavement made with the improved composite tiles is shown in which the tiles are laid in diagonal rows with continuous lines of joints in which case the triangular tiles 10 are used on the outside borders of the pavement.

The chief advantages of the improved composite tiles are great strength and economy of manufacture and use. With the tile lifting key thetile can be readily moved into and out of position either when originally laying the pavement or in moving individual tiles for repairs or otherwise, such as the necessity of lifting a row of tiles forthe purpose of laying a pipe line. The projecting anchoring rim of the side walls of the tiles efiecttively engage the ballast or prepared surface on which the pavement is laid and prevent lateral displacement. The improved tile be-' ing of great weight and substantial depth, it will effectively hold itself in proper position in the pavement without additional means of securing it. It is proposed to use improved composite paving tiles in places Whereformerly a well-known cast iron floor plate has been used for paving. ironfloor plates are subject to Warping either as the result of the foundry operation or from being peaned after being laid as a pavement, the constant blows of the wheels of traffic producing this warping result. The improved composite tiles are not subject to this warping defect because of the particular construction described.

I claim v 1. A composite tile for paving comprising a shaped shell or hollow container having top and side Walls and. open at the bottom, said top wall having a key opening approximately in the intersecting vertical longitudinal and transverse planes through the center of gravity of the tile, a key receiving chamber formed on and projecting inwardly from the top wall and communicating with said key opening, said key-receiving chamber being closed from the shell interior and a suitable filling material molded in said shell or container around the wall of said closed key chamber and partially filling the same, in combination with atile lifting key fitting said key opening and adapted to be turned in said chamber into engagement with said top wall.

2. A composite tile for paving comprising 7 a shaped shell or hollow containerhaving top and sidewalls and open at the bottom, said top wall having a key opening approximately in the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse vertical planes through the center of gravity of the tile, an undercut key receiving chamber in communication with said key opening, said chamber being formed by an integral trussed wall formed on the inner face of said top wall and closed from the shell interior, and a filling material molded into said shell or container.

- EDWARD H. BINNS.

These cast 

